THE AMERICAN POULTERER'S COMPANION. 



sufficient to restrain them within prescribed 

 boundaries. 



" ' There appears to be two distinct varieties of 

 color the one light, the other dark ; the former 

 of these has a general resemblance to the body 

 color of the silver-penciled Hamburghs, but on 

 close inspection the markings of the feathers are 

 found to differ materially, not only from the plu- 

 mage of these birds, but likewise from that of 

 any domestic fowl that I have yet seen. 



" ' The edge of the feather is margined or laced 

 with white all round to the width of about one 

 eighth of an inch, then comes a brownish-black 

 inner line of about the same thickness, then one 

 of white, while the centre of the feather is of 

 the same dark hue, the shaft or stem being of 

 a, very clear white. 



"'Nothing, I can assure you, can be more 

 beautiful or distinct than the plumage of this 

 charming little hen the very slightest bantam 

 not being excepted. The cock does not mani- 

 fest the same minuteness of marking, but nev- 

 ertheless he bears quite as much similitude to 



the hen as will be found to exist in the Shang- 

 hais, Game, Dorkings, and Hamburghs. 



" ' The dark variety differs in color only, the 

 hen being a light brown with dark markings, the 

 cock a light red with markings of black. 



" ' The peculiar beauty of the Ceylon fowl is 

 certainly in their plumage, but the singularity 

 of their form renders them objects of attraction 

 and interest to the most casual observer. The 

 head is neat and small; the comb single, up- 

 right, and serrated; ear-lobe scarlet, thin, and 

 projecting from the face ; legs (which are ex- 

 ceedingly short, so much so, indeed, that the 

 feathers of the lower part of the body almost 

 touch the ground) yellow, and free from feath- 

 ers ; bill yellow ; wings short ; tail the same, and 

 carried almost horizontally; thighs more fluffy 

 than in the best specimens of Shanghais, and 

 their general figure also of a much more com- 

 pact and squarer build than in any specimen:? 

 of the latter birds that I have seen or possessed. 



" ' The hen has both laid and sat this season, 

 but as yet I have no produce ; she is a good 

 layer as well as a good sitter, and I have no 

 doubt would prove a good nurse ; and should J 

 be so fortunate as to perpetuate the breed, there 

 is little doubt that it would be generally acknowl- 

 edged as among the most ornamental as well as 

 useful of our poultry.' " 



THE FORK- TAIL FOWL. 



This is another richly-plumaged native of 

 Java, but seems to possess no tie that might 

 connect it with our domestic race. 



This curious fowl was first described by M. 

 Temminck, in 1818. It is nearly two feet in 

 length to the extremity of the tail. The cheeks 

 are bare, the head furnished with a simple entire 

 comb, and the throat with a single large wattle, 

 springing from the centre ; they are all light red. 

 The head, neck, and upper part of the back are 

 remarkable from the short and rounded form 

 of the feathers, of a dark metallic blue. The 

 hanging feathers are of a rich metallic green, 

 tinged with steel-blue. The bill, legs, and feer. 

 yellow. The hen has a circle round the eyes 

 only naked, and of a livid tint. This bird is- 

 said to be very abundant in Java, and may be 

 often seen during the day. upon the edges of the 



